trauma – Recovery Voices

22nd November 2023

Author: David Clark Posted: 22nd November 2023

Working in the Treatment System: James Deakin

James Deakin spent a number of years working in the mental health and addiction field before deciding that he had become disillusioned by the organisations and the commissioning process. At the same time, he loved working with 'clients' and was inspired by people like...

19th September 2023

Author: David Clark Posted: 19th September 2023

Adam’s Recovery Story: ‘A Moment of Clarity’

I really began to feel hope, hope that I could and would have a new life. I had been unable to relate to people for a long time, but I now started to interact with people and make new friends. I felt that I belonged. People cared about me and wanted to help me. I shared experiences...

13th September 2023

Author: David Clark Posted: 13th September 2023

Trauma and Addiction

James Deakin says: ‘For the vast majority of us it [addiction] is self-management of an underlying condition, it’s self-medication, or it’s just using any drink or drug to move away from a set of feeling[s] for a period of time.’ Addiction is often a symptom of a psychological problem, such as the impact of trauma. When people arrive at Penrhyn House, the residential part of North...